“Winning close to home is always great,” said Kleinhans. “I was excited when I heard that the Fedhealth MTB Challenge would take place at Meerendal. I really like the area and the racing here suits me well. I enjoyed the punchy climbs and the flowing single track. The route isn’t super technical, anyone can ride it, but of course it does become a bit more technical if you’re racing. Mountain biking is not all about racing, that is why the ISUZU MTB Festival is great. It’s a family affair. There is an event for every member of the family, while Meerendal has the best wines. The timing is perfect and the views on route are fantastic. I’ll definitely be back next year.” Derrin Smith came in second, while Nicol Carstens finished third.

According to De Groot, Stillwater Sports knows how to host great events. “The Fedhealth MTB Challenge featured open trails and beautiful views. It’s a proper mountain bike race, so you do need to be fit to really enjoy it. I would definitely recommend this race. It is soul candy for a mountain biker. It’s everything that a mountain biker can want and it includes activities for the entire family.” Louise Ferreira came in second, while Diana Carolin finished third.

Closing off a weekend of exceptional mountain biking as part of the ISUZU MTB Festival Cape Town, mountain bikers that were not yet comfortable with a 60km route could enter the less daunting 35km Fedhealth MTB Challenge or the fun 15km Fedhealth MTB Challenge.